Kia Sportage: Precautions

WARNING

• To reduce the risk of serious or fatal injury and get the greatest benefit from the restraint system, observe these precautions:

  • Never place a child in a child restraint or booster seat on the front passenger seat.

  • If an air bag deploys in a collision, an infant or child seated in the front may be seriously injured or killed.

  • Children aged 13 and younger must always be properly restrained in a rear seat. If a child over 13 must sit in the front, fasten the seat belt correctly and move the seat as far back as possible.

  • Children in the rear outer seats must use an appropriate child restraint system.

  • Always buckle children in the back seat. It is the safest place for children of any age to travel.

  • For the best protection in every type of collision, all occupants, including the driver, must wear seat belts, whether or not their seating position also has an air bag. Do not sit or lean closer to an air bag than necessary while the Kia Sportage is moving.

  • The SRS air bags must inflate rapidly to provide protection in a collision. If an occupant is out of position because they are not wearing a seat belt, the force of an inflating air bag may cause serious or fatal injuries.

  • Front and side air bags can injure front-seat occupants who are sitting improperly or out of position.

  • Move your seat as far back from the front air bags as practical while still maintaining control of the vehicle.

  • Sitting improperly or out of position can cause serious or fatal injuries in a collision. All occupants should sit upright, with the seatback upright, centred on the seat cushion and secured by a seat belt. Keep your legs comfortably extended and your feet on the floor until the vehicle is parked.

  • To reduce the risk of serious or fatal injury from an inflating air bag, the driver should sit as far back from the steering-wheel air bag as practical. The front passenger should move the seat as far back as possible and sit well back in it.

  • When seated in a position with side or curtain air bags, do not lean your head or body against a door, rest your arms on a door, extend your arms through a window, or place objects between an occupant and a door.

  • For the best protection from the side air bag system and to reduce the risk of injury when an air bag deploys, both front-seat occupants should sit upright and wear their seat belts correctly.

  • Do not place objects on or near the air bag modules in the steering wheel, instrument cluster, windscreen or front passenger's panel above the glove box. This includes items such as instrument-panel covers, phone holders, cup holders, perfume containers and stickers. In a collision severe enough to deploy an air bag, these objects could cause injury. Never place anything over an air bag or between an air bag and an occupant.

  • Do not insert or place objects in small openings near the side air bag labels attached to the seats. An object could interfere with deployment and cause unexpected injury or other harm.

  • Do not place a container of liquid air freshener near the instrument cluster or on the instrument panel. If the passenger air bag deploys, the container could become a dangerous projectile and cause injury.

  • Do not place objects over an air bag, between an air bag and an occupant, or around an air bag's deployment area, including on a door, side window or front or rear pillar.

  • For safety, do not hang heavy items from the coat hooks.

• If the SRS air bag warning light stays on while driving, have the system inspected by a professional workshop. Kia recommends contacting an authorised Kia dealer/service partner.

• Air bags are designed for one-time use. After deployment, have the system replaced by a professional workshop. Kia recommends an authorised Kia dealer/service partner.

• Keep SRS components and wiring away from water and other liquids. If SRS components become inoperative after exposure to liquid, a fire or serious injury may result.

• If the vehicle has been flooded, the carpet is soaked or there is water on the floor, do not try to start the vehicle. Have it inspected by a professional workshop. Clean air bag covers only with a soft, dry cloth or one dampened with plain water. Solvents and other cleaners may damage the covers or interfere with proper air bag deployment.

• Air bag inflation may cause injuries, including facial or bodily abrasions, injuries from broken glass and burns.

• When air bags deploy, components in the steering wheel, instrument cluster and both sides of the roof rails above the front and rear doors become very hot. To avoid injury, do not touch the internal components or air bag storage areas immediately after deployment.

• Front and side air bags can injure front-seat occupants who are sitting improperly or out of position.

• In a collision, the driver's, front passenger's, side or curtain air bag may fail to deploy or may not deploy correctly.

• To help prevent unexpected deployment of the side air bag or driver's centre air bag, do not strike the side impact sensor while the vehicle is in ON or for approximately 3 minutes after it is switched to OFF.

• Do not strike or allow objects to hit areas where air bags or their sensors are installed. An impact could trigger unexpected deployment and cause serious or fatal injury.

• Changing the installation position or angle of a sensor may cause an air bag to deploy when it should not, or fail to deploy when it should, potentially causing serious or fatal injury. Do not carry out maintenance on or around air bag sensors. Have the system serviced by a professional workshop. Kia recommends an authorised Kia dealer/service partner.

• Do not tamper with or disconnect SRS wiring or components. Do not add badges to air bag covers or modify the vehicle body structure. These changes may impair SRS operation and cause injury. If service is needed, contact a professional workshop. Kia recommends an authorised Kia dealer/service partner.

• If SRS components must be discarded or the vehicle scrapped, follow the required safety procedures, including removal of the SRS components and pre-tensioners, because of the risk of fire. Failure to follow these procedures may result in injury. An authorised Kia dealer can explain the necessary precautions.

CAUTION

• SRS components and pre-tensioners contain explosive chemicals. Scrapping a vehicle without first removing them may cause a fire. Before scrapping the vehicle, contact a professional workshop. Kia recommends an authorised Kia dealer/service partner.

• The SRS can operate while the vehicle is in ON and for approximately 3 minutes after it is switched to OFF. If the SRS air bag warning light does not illuminate when the vehicle is switched to ON, remains on after approximately 6 seconds, stays on after the vehicle is started, or illuminates while driving, the SRS may not be operating correctly. Have it inspected by a professional workshop. Kia recommends an authorised Kia dealer/service partner.

• The SRS is designed to deploy the front air bags only when an impact is sufficiently severe. Each air bag is designed to deploy only once. Seat belts must always be worn.

• Front air bags are not designed to deploy in side-impact, rear-impact or rollover collisions, or in frontal collisions below the deployment threshold.

• Do not attempt to open or repair any curtain air bag components. If service is required, contact a professional workshop. Kia recommends an authorised Kia dealer/service partner.

• Deformation of the front bumper, body or B-pillar where side impact sensors are installed may change the sensor position or angle and affect system operation. If this occurs, have the system serviced by a professional workshop. Kia recommends an authorised Kia dealer/service partner.

• The Kia Sportage is designed to absorb impact and deploy air bags in certain collisions. Use only Kia Genuine Parts or parts of an equivalent standard when installing bumper guards or replacing a bumper. Other parts may adversely affect collision performance and air bag deployment.

• If the vehicle has side and curtain air bags, switch it OFF and wait approximately 3 minutes before towing. If the vehicle is in ON or within approximately 3 minutes after being switched to OFF, the side or curtain air bags may deploy if the rollover sensor interprets the situation as a rollover.

• Deactivate the front passenger air bag only while the vehicle is in OFF. Otherwise, the SRS control module may malfunction, and the driver's, front passenger's, side or curtain air bags may fail to deploy or may not deploy correctly in a collision.

• Before replacing a fuse or disconnecting a battery terminal, switch the vehicle to OFF. Never remove or replace an air bag-related fuse while the vehicle is in ON; ignoring this instruction may cause the SRS air bag warning light to illuminate.

• Position the child restraint system as far from the door side as possible and secure it so that it is locked in place.

• If the front passenger air bag ON/OFF switch is not working correctly, the air bag warning light on the instrument panel will illuminate. The front passenger air bag OFF indicator () will not illuminate, and the ON indicator will come on. The SRS control module will reactivate the front passenger air bag, which may then deploy in a frontal collision even if the switch is set to OFF (). If this occurs, have the system inspected by a professional workshop. Kia recommends an authorised Kia dealer/service partner.

• The front passenger air bag ON/OFF switch can be turned with a similar small, rigid object. Always check the switch position and the front passenger air bag indicator. The driver is responsible for ensuring that the switch is set correctly.

• Deactivate the front passenger air bag only while the vehicle is in OFF. Otherwise, the SRS control module may malfunction.

• Even if the vehicle has a front passenger air bag ON/OFF switch, do not install a child restraint system on the front passenger seat. Children who are too large for a child restraint must ride in a rear seat and use the available lap-and-shoulder belt. In a collision, children are safest when properly restrained in a rear seat.

NOTE

• The SRS is designed to deploy the front air bags only when an impact is sufficiently severe.

• Front air bags are not designed to deploy in side-impact, rear-impact or rollover collisions, or in frontal collisions below the deployment threshold.

• On vehicles equipped with a rollover sensor, side and curtain air bags may deploy in a sufficiently severe side-impact or rollover situation that could cause significant injury to occupants.

• If the vehicle is equipped with a rollover sensor:

  • In a detected rollover, side or curtain air bags, if fitted, inflate rapidly to help protect occupants from serious physical injury.

  • The side and curtain air bags are designed to inflate when the rollover sensor detects a rollover. They may deploy when such a rollover is detected.

  • Front air bags are designed primarily for frontal collisions, but may also deploy in another type of collision if the front impact sensors detect a sufficiently severe impact. Side air bags and curtain air bags are designed primarily for side impacts, but may also deploy in another collision if the side impact sensors detect a sufficiently severe impact. For example, they may deploy if the rollover sensors indicate a possible rollover, even if the vehicle does not actually roll over, or if the vehicle is tilted while being towed. In a rollover, side or curtain air bags may deploy to help prevent occupants—especially those wearing seat belts—from being ejected, even though they do not provide impact protection in that situation. Impacts to the chassis from bumps or objects on rough, unpaved roads or pavements may also trigger air bag deployment. Drive carefully on surfaces not designed for vehicle traffic to help prevent unintended deployment.

  • When the front passenger air bag ON/OFF switch is set to ON, the passenger air bag is active. Do not install a child or infant seat on the front passenger seat in this condition.

• If the vehicle is not equipped with a rollover sensor:

  • If the vehicle rolls over following a side-impact collision, side or curtain air bags may deploy if they are fitted.

Air bag—supplemental restraint system

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Overview

Equipment may vary by Kia Sportage trim, selected options and market. Some features shown or described here may not be fitted to every vehicle. The air bags fitted to your vehicle may differ fro...